Blood. Sweat. Tears. It's a true statement.
Through dance we experience many different types of pain, but in life, what doesn't make you experience pain?
Honestly, no one gives dancers, nor cheerleaders, the credibility they deserve.
Many people think that we don't work for it. Although I promise you, we work harder than athletes of some of the most popular sports.
I mean, think about it, we put our bodies through more physical pain than anyone really should.
We Aren't Doing This for Money
Do you know how expensive a dance class is? After tuition and the class, dance classes can cost $50-$100 a month. That's not even including the collegiate dance classes. (Trust me, I'm taking one. It's like, a million dollars.) Also, most dancers take more than one class, sometimes getting in the range of $500 a month. We aren't getting paid for dancing, at least not yet. Most of us work for our studio in exchange for some money off of the bill for our classes.
Even after we graduate, there are not many 'dance careers.' The few lucky and proud will find a job teaching or coaching, but for the rest of us it was an activity of our prime that we spent countless hours (and dollars) doing.
Our Bodies Get Pushed to the Great Beyond
Have you ever sat in the splits for one minute while you could feel your hamstrings physically tearing? Or have you ever had a dance coach put all of his or her weight through his or her hands and onto your shoulders to get you further in your splits? There's also this thing called oversplits (AKA death).
No one is forcing us to hurt ourselves. We choose these things. We skip going out with friends to stretch for hours. In the collegiate side of dance, you push your body even further. Practicing for 5 hours some days, training with the football team, all-protein diets. It's crazy talk. Some teams will even kick you off if you gain or lose too much weight. Why do we choose this? It's our passion.
Nailing one routine, not messing up a part you've been struggling with, or even having fun. These are all things we take constant pride in. Yes, we are crazy, but we love this. This is who we are.
Don't try to understand us. No one gets it.
We are crazy.
We are dancers.
